Unravelling spiral cleavage
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Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development
Published on: January 26, 2013
José M Martín-Durán1, Ferdinand Marlétaz2
1Queen Mary, University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, E1 4NS London, UK chema.martin@qmul.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Snails, earthworms and flatworms are remarkably different animals, but they all exhibit a very similar mode of early embryogenesis: spiral cleavage. This is one of the most widespread developmental programs in animals, probably ancestral to almost half of the animal phyla, and therefore its study is essential for understanding animal development and evolution. However, our knowledge of spiral cleavage is still in its infancy. Recent technical and conceptual advances, such as the establishment of genome editing and improved phylogenetic resolution, are paving the way for a fresher and deeper look into this fascinating early cleavage mode.
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